Health & Safety Compliance Officer

Department: Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Reporting to: Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager

Grade: 6

Salary: £53,174 per annum

Working pattern: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

Base: Gravesend

Closing date: 14th September

Interview date: 22nd September (Teams), 28th September (Face to Face)

Who we are:

We are the UK’s biggest port, central to the country’s economy and ambitions for growth. We connect the UK to the world, but we are much more than a conventional port. We are driven by our purpose to protect and improve the 95 mile stretch of the River Thames which is tidal – from Teddington Lock on the border of Surrey, through the heart of London, Kent, Essex and out to the North Sea.

The role:

The Health & Safety Compliance Officer leads and coordinates the organisation’s health and safety compliance framework, ensuring compliance with ISO 45001, statutory health and safety obligations, and internal policies and procedures.

The role provides oversight and assurance across key risk areas—including fire safety, asbestos management and legionella control—and leads the development, implementation and evaluation of audit and inspection programmes to verify organisational compliance.

The postholder maintains the HS&W legal register, monitors organisational compliance with policies and procedures and represents the Health, Safety & Wellbeing (HS&W) function during internal and external assurance activity, influencing managers and operational teams to achieve and sustain compliance.

The role provides independent compliance assurance to the organisation by identifying systemic risks, monitoring corrective actions and reporting compliance performance through HS&W governance structures.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the monitoring, maintenance and continual improvement of the ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Management System, ensuring effective implementation across all operational areas.
• Plan and deliver internal audits and gap analyses, working with teams to implement and track corrective and preventive actions.
• Coordinate and support certification and surveillance audits, providing assurance of ongoing compliance.
• Monitor compliance with statutory requirements and internal controls relating to fire safety, asbestos management, legionella control, and other key health and safety risks.
• Support managers and responsible persons to ensure risk assessments are suitable, sufficient, and regularly reviewed.
• Escalate emerging risks, non-conformities, and compliance issues through appropriate governance channels.
• Develop and deliver the organisation’s health, safety and wellbeing monitoring and inspection programme.
• Conduct inspections across operational areas, reporting findings clearly and constructively.
• Track and verify the completion of corrective actions, providing independent assurance on compliance.
• Monitor adherence to health and safety policies, procedures, and safe systems of work.
• Identify gaps in compliance and support teams to implement improvements.
• Contribute to the review and update of policies and procedures to reflect current legislation and best practice.
• Maintain and update the organisation’s health and safety legal register, ensuring alignment with current legislation and sector requirements.
• Communicate relevant legal and regulatory changes to stakeholders and support implementation.
• Represent the health and safety function during internal and external audits.
• Liaise with auditors, regulators, and external bodies, supporting the coordination of audit evidence and responses.
• Communicate audit outcomes and assurance updates through governance and reporting structures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role.